From Grief to Purpose; The Magic of Milly

In this deeply personal episode of Grief to Purpose: The Magic of Milly, Emma shares what happened in the days and weeks after losing Milly, and the reality of learning how to live when everything has changed. Emma reflects on leaving the hospital, returning home without her daughter, arranging Milly’s funeral, and trying to navigate a world that carried on when hers had been completely altered. She speaks openly about continuing to care for Milly after she had died, the difficulty of saying goodbye, and the process of beginning to understand that grief is not something you simply move on from, but something you learn to carry. Through the pain, Emma also reflects on the extraordinary privilege of being Milly’s mum and the perspective that has stayed with her: “We were chosen to look after her and give her the best possible two years that she could.” The episode also explores how fundraising became a way of keeping Milly present and turning grief into purpose. Most recently, that journey led Emma and the team to take on the National Three Peaks Challenge, pushing through exhaustion, difficult weather and some incredibly tough moments to raise thousands of pounds in Milly’s memory. The title One Foot in Front of the Other carries a double meaning. It describes the physical determination needed to keep climbing when the challenge became difficult, but also something much bigger: the way Emma has learned to live alongside grief, continuing forward one step and one day at a time while carrying Milly with her. Raw, honest, but also filled with love and hope, this episode explores bereavement, resilience, fundraising and finding purpose after unimaginable loss. More than a story about moving forward, it is a story about discovering that moving forward does not mean leaving someone behind. The Magic of Milly is based on lived experience and created to help bereaved families feel less alone, while offering greater understanding of the realities of child loss, grief and life after bereavement. Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of child loss, death, funeral arrangements, bereavement and grief. child loss podcast, bereaved parent story, bereaved mum podcast, life after child loss, child bereavement UK, grief and loss podcast, living with grief, parenting after loss, finding purpose after grief, fundraising after bereavement, National Three Peaks Challenge, Three Peaks charity challenge, grief and resilience, real grief stories, life after bereavement, turning grief into purpose, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Acorns Children’s Hospice, The Magic of Milly podcast, grief to purpose, child bereavement awareness

In this deeply moving episode of Grief to Purpose: The Magic of Milly , Emma shares the heartbreaking weeks leading up to the unthinkable. As Milly’s condition became increasingly critical, the family found themselves caught between hope and fear, trying to create precious memories while facing impossible decisions. From a special girls’ weekend at Acorns Children’s Hospice and one last Christmas at home, to emergency hospital admissions, major heart surgery, and the relentless reality of life inside PICU, this episode tells the story of Milly’s final fight. Emma reflects on the consultant meetings that would shape Milly’s future, an early second birthday celebration at the Sea Life Centre, and the devastating complications that followed. She speaks openly about living through septic shock, sepsis, ECLS life support, collapsed lungs, blood transfusions, and the emotional exhaustion of watching her daughter battle for survival hour by hour. Raw, honest, and incredibly powerful, this episode explores the unimaginable reality of parenting a critically ill child, the strength families discover in the darkest moments, and the love that remains long after loss. More than a story of grief, this is a story of courage, connection, and a little girl whose impact continues to be felt every day. The Magic of Milly is based on lived experience and created to help bereaved families feel less alone, while offering greater understanding of the realities faced by parents of medically complex children. Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of child loss, paediatric intensive care, life support, sepsis, and bereavement. PICU parent experience, child loss podcast, bereaved parent story, paediatric intensive care UK, ECLS life support, sepsis in children, medically complex child, childhood heart condition, children's hospice experience, child heart surgery, grief and loss podcast, parenting through trauma, real grief stories, bereaved mum podcast, hospital parent journey, life support in PICU, Acorns Children's Hospice, The Magic of Milly podcast, grief to purpose, child bereavement awareness

The moment you’ve been waiting for… bringing your child home - but nothing feels simple. In this episode of Grief to Purpose; The Magic of Milly ,Emma shares the next chapter of Milly’s journey, focusing on the transition from intensive care to life at home with a medically complex child. We talk about moving from ICU into complex care, theemotional reality of bringing a child home after long-term hospitalisation, and what daily life looked like with carers and ongoing medical needs. Emma reflects on key moments, including hearing Milly’s voice again through a speaking valve after six months, and the challenges of repeated hospitalreadmissions. This episode also explores the uncertainty families face whennavigating serious childhood illness, including difficult conversations around end-of-life planning, medical procedures, and balancing hope with fear. We also answer our first listener question: how can friendsand family best support parents caring for a seriously ill child? This is an honest, lived experience of parenting throughmedical complexity, grief, and love - created to help others feel less alone and to better understand how to support families during the hardest times. Tagsmedically complex child, life after intensive care, bringingbaby home from hospital, paediatric ICU experience, tracheostomy baby, speaking valve child, hospital to home transition, parenting a sick child, childhood illness journey, bereaved parent podcast, grief and loss podcast UK, supporting families with sick children, end of life care children, paediatric palliative care, NICU PICU parents support, real stories grief podcast

In this episode, we return to Milly’s story and the realityof life inside the hospital. Emma shares what it was like living day to day in a medical environment, where time blurs, new routines take shape, and small moments of normality with friends and family become everything. We talk about the in-between stage that so many familiesexperience but few people see. The waiting, the uncertainty, and the quiet strength it takes to keep going. Alongside Milly’s journey, Emma reflects on the relationships that carried them through, from the bonds formed within the hospital to the support of loved ones on the outside. There is hope in this chapter too. Making plans for goinghome, putting care in place, and holding onto the possibility of life beyond the hospital walls. But it is also a time marked by real challenges, including Milly losing the ability to make noise after her tracheostomy, and the emotional weight that came with it. Emma speaks honestly about what it means to parent in a place that never feels like home, and how hard it still can be to support each other when you are both deep in grief. Now, 11 years on, she reflects on how that time of year, and those final days still feel vivid and close.

Join us as Emma shares her journey with pregnancy after multiple miscarriages, navigating early scans, and facing complications like Exomphalos and Uterus Didelphys. From anxiety and stress management during pregnancy to going into labour at 37 weeks and an emergency C-section, we take you through Milly’s story - including newborn respiratory distress, fetal heart abnormalities, and the life-changing diagnosis of Pentalogy of Cantrell. Follow her journey through tracheostomy ventilation, a long-term hospital stay, and the incredible care at Birmingham Women's Hospital and Birmingham Children's Hospital. Special thanks to Mikey Rainsford for our beautiful intro and outro.

Welcome to our pilot episode. Emma Hill shares her personal journey through grief and loss and introduces Milly - the magic and meaning behind this podcast. We talk openly about grief, living with loss, and how to begin finding your way forward when life feels unrecognisable. This episode is about connection, storytelling, healing, and reminding you that you’re not alone.